Concrete building unit



l Aug.17,1926. 1,596,404

H. E. cLoUsER CONCRETE BUILDING UNIT Filed Nov. 191 1924 INVENTOR Harry E- GL01/6er Q .mm

ATTORNEY v vertically,

rPatented Aug'. 17, 1926.

UNITED STATES HARRY E. CLOUSER, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA. l

coNcaErE BUILDING Umm.

Application mea November 19, 1924. serial No. 750,777.

This invention relates to improvements in the building art, and particularly to the construction of concrete units used in building walls, such as are shown in my copendin application, Serial No. 706,800, filed April 16th, 1924.

These units are of rectangular form, and have along their edges, tongues and grooves adapted to cooperate with the corresponding parts of adjacent units to interlock the same together against both lateral and longitu-v dinal movement.

The principal object of my present invention is to construct the units themselves -in such a manner that suflicient space is had between two units, either horizontally or for the reception of the necessary amount of cementing or bonding'grout, without appreciably separating the units.

By reason of this construction, it is much easier to keep the courses level and the units plumb, and not only are the units of different courses interlocked with each other by means of the above named integrally formed tongues and grooves, but the grout may also flow in such a manner as to form additional interlocking means for the units without separation of the same.

The grout space between the vertical edges of adjacent blocks is so arranged that capplate tie bolts may be seated and firmly cemented therein without the necessity cf making special units, 'or drilling holes in the units for the purpose.

By reason of and in connection with certain of the grout holding spaces, the units seat on and aline with each other much better than was the case with the previous units, and without any possibility of the units tilting laterally or seating out of plumb on each other.

A further object of the invention is to provide the grout vspaces between the horizontal edges of the units to receive horizontal reinforcing tie elements.

A double spacedwall of the units is adapted to be constructed so as to be reinforced and braced horizontally, transversely and diagonally and the units are constructed and arranged to be mounted with this object in view.

y A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and view of the upper courses of a double wall built with my improved units.

Fig. 2Ais a fragmentary transverse section through a pair of vertically alined units, as on line 2-2 of1 Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section through a pair of horizontally alined units, as on line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through a4 plurality of set-up units.

Referring now more particularly to the l characters of reference on the drawings, the

vnumeral 1 denotes the units themselves, of

suitable surface area and thickness, two edges of which, one horizontal and one vert1cal have tongues 2 and 3 respectively, while the other edges have corresponding grooves 4 and 5.

In building up a. wall, the units are of course arranged so that the tongues of one unit seat in the grooves ofother units, as

shown in Figs. 2 and 3. y

The various tongues and grooves are centrally disposed in their res ective faces. The grooves 4 are but slight y Wider than the tongues 2 but are considerably deeper,

as plainly shown in Fig. 2. This permits of an appreciable quantity of grout 7 being placed between the tongue and groove with but little if any lateral play between the units being possible.

To provide additional grout space between the horizontal edge faces of the units. to the sides of the tongue and groove, said faces diverge from eachother from the corners inwardly, as plainly shown at A in p Fig. 2. j

The units are therefore enabled to be practically supported by; each other along their corners, while suici'ent space inwardly of the vcorners' is had forbonding gro/ut without se arating'the 1 corners bto..any jappreciable egree.

Similarly and for the same purpose, the vertical edge faces of the units, to the sides of the tongues and grooves thereon, diver e inwardlyfrom each other, as shown at in Fig. s:

The vertical tongues 3 are centrally grooved as shown at 8. This construction 1s especially for the purpose of receiving tie bolts 9, for the cap or plate 10 which f rests on top of the upper course of a wall as shown in Fig. 1.v The grooves 3 facing upwardly in the upper course units, a good .bond with the plate may be made by grout poured into the grooves, which grout would of course also lill the wedge-like spaces formed betweenl the plate and units by the sloping faces A of the latter.

`The bolts 9 of course only project between the units of the upper course, the groove 8 .being so disposed relative to the adjacent and o posed main groove 5 of an abutting unit tbat said bolt is located therebetween `with. just sufficient clearance to enable it to be surrounded with the bonding grout.`

" In other than the top course, the bolts are of course omitted, andthe grooves 8 then provide additional s ace for out.

By referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that x by reason of the above described arrangevreinforclng iron-2b may be as shown plainl in the drawings. Between 'i the double wa in different ment of parts, a fairly thick layer of out extends without a break between al the edges of adjacent units, without the units being appreciably separated, so that the lat- `terare firmly bonded together independently of the tongue and groove construction. The horizontal tongues 2 are centrally Lagaf-ica agonally. The result is a wall practically resistant to collapse from jar or vibration which is of inestimable value in the building art, particularly in localities, subject to earthquakes and like disturbances.

From the foregoing description itl will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and .preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as deined by the appended claims. I

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A building unit consisting of a body member having a tongue along one edge face and a groove along the opposite edge face, said tongue being adapted to interlock with the groove of a contiguous unit; the width of the tongue at its base being slightly less than the width of the groove atits junction with the edge face of the unit, but the depth of the tongue being considerably less than that of the groove.

2. A building unit consisting of a body member having a tongue along one edge face and a groove along the opposite edge face, said tongue being adapted to interlock with the groove of a contiguous unit; being of lesser depth than the groove whereby to leave a space between the tongue and groove of contiguous units for the reception of bonding grout,'the tongue being centrally and longltudinally grooved to provide for the partial reception and centralization of a reinforcing bar disposed along the first named groove.

i In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature. l

HARRY E. cLoUsER.

the tongue il 

